Automatic means for starting engines



Nov. 8, 1932. H. H. TRAIL 1,887,483

AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR STARTING ENGINES Filed May 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 8, 1932. H. H. TRAIL 1,837,433

AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR STARTING ENGINES Filed May 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ill Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT H. TRAIL, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR T0 MOTOR DEVICES, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR STARTING ENGINES Application filed May 10, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic means for starting engines and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention relates more particularly to a novel mechanism for controlling the starting motor circuit of an engine such as employed in automobiles, for automatically closing said circuit when the engine stalls and for automatically opening or breaking said circuit as the engine turns over under its own power. Devices of this kind have heretofore been attempted but have notproven practical, mainly because of the inability to make and break said circuit at the proper time and engine speeds.

With such devices the circuit to the starting motor could be closed to energize and start the same but they could not operate quickly enough to breakthe circuit after the engine started, so that ditliculty was encountered in withdrawing the starter pinion from the fly wheel of the engine.

The devices mentioned included governors driven from any convenient shaft on the engine and operated at one and the same speed only for both making and breaking the starting motor circuit with the result that with the engine running at a slow idling speed, the starting motor circuit was closed and the motor started with disastrous results to not only the pinion thereof but also the fly wheel of the engine.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device in the nature of a governor driven from the timer and distributor shaft and normally closing the starting motor circuit when the ignition switch is turned on and the engine is not running so that the motor is started to turn over the engine which as soon as it runs under its own power acts through said shaft to operate said device to break the circuit to the starting motor and thus stop the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which cannot act again to close said circuit even though the ignition switch be on, until a predetermined engine speed, lower than idling speed occurs Serial No. 361,858.

at which predetermined engine speed the circuit is again closed to start the motor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which can be closely associated with the ignition current timer and distributor, either as an accessory thereto or as a built in part thereof, in both cases the device being driven from the distributor shaft.

These objects of the invention, as well as others, together with the many advantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings 2- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the ignition and starting motor circuit of an automobile engine with my improved device embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of adistributor and timer head with my improved device embodied therein and disposed between the timer casing and the associated cover therefor, parts of the same being shown as broken away for clearer illustration.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the device with the parts in the position they assume when the engine is inoperative as when the associated ignition switch is turned off.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the parts in the position they assume when the distributor is being driven by the engine at an ordinary speed or a higher speed.

Fig. 5 a bottom plan view of the device with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the rotary part of my device as when removed from its associated collector ring.

Fig. 7 is av vertical detail sectional view as taken on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

In describing the invention, the same is set forth as embodied in the ignition and starting motor circuit of an automobile engine, but this is to be considered merely as illustrative because as will be apparent the invention may also be employed in connection with other engines when the peculiar characteristics of the invention makes it of advantage to do so. I

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing and especially to Fig. 1 thereof, 1 indicates as a Whole a multi-cylinder engine having a fly Wheel 2 with a gear tooth peripheral conductors 9.

The source of current supply such as a battery is grounded from one terminal as at 11 while a conductor 12 leads from another terminal of said battery to one side of the starting motor 5, the other side of which is grounded as at 13. The conductor 12 is a normally open one and is adapted to be closed by a solenoid switch 14 when said switch is energized. One side of the coil of said switch is connected by a conductor 15 leading to one side terminal of a high tension coil 16 and the other side of said coil is connected by a conductor 17 to the primary terminal of the timer mechanism. The secondary terminal of the timer mechanism is grounded as at 18 while the top terminal of the coil is connected by a conductor 19 with the rotor 20 (see Fig. 2) of the distributor. The other side of the coil of the solenoid switch 14 is connected by a conductor 21 to the primary terminal '22 of my improved device indicated as a whole as at 23 while the secondary terminal 24 thereof is grounded as at 25. A manually operable switch 26 is interposed between the conductors 14 and 15 which controls the entire circuit described and which switch corresponds to the usual ignition switch as found upon automobiles.

In Fig. 2'-is illustrated a conventional type of timer and distributor 7 which includes a timer mechanism housing 27 and a cover 28 which in the usual timer and distributor rests upon the top end of the timer casing and is detachably secured thereto in any suitable manner. 30 indicates the driven shaft of the timer and distributor and 31 indicates the lever by which the time mechanism is advanced or retarded with respect to said shaft.

The rotor brush 20 is detachably secured to the top end of the shaft in the cover 28 and in therotationthereof makes and breaks contact between the high tension conductor 19 and distributor contacts 8 in the cover 28.

When my improved device 23 is formed as an accessory to such a conventional timer and distributor as described, it is interposed between the timer casing 27 and cover 28, after the rotor brush which has a key and slot connection with the shaft has been first removed. After the devices have been positioned as described, longer clamping springs 32 are substituted for the old ones to hold all parts in the operative position.

The device includes a non-rotativc annular body 33 of suitable insulating material, having seated in the interior surface thereof collector rings 34 and 35 respectively, to which the terminalsv 22 and 24 before mentioned are connected. 36 indicates the supporting plate or rotor of the .device having a central tubular post 37 so formed at its bottom as to have a detachable driving key and slot connection 38 with the top end of the shaft 30 and so formed at its top as to detachably receive the rotor brush 20 of the distributor.

3939 indicate governor levers of like construction, each pivotally mounted upon diametrically opposite, upright studs 40-40 on the plate or rotor. Each lever is substantially arcuate in form and comprises a long power arm 41 and a short load arm 42. The free or outer end of the power arm of each lever carries a stud 43 and both studs extend up through slots 44 in a two armed plate 45, the latter having a central open-' end of the tubular shaft 37 of the supporting plate or rotor 36. On the top end of each stud 43 above the arms of the plate 45 are suitable Washers and retaining devices 46 which prevent accidental displacement of said plate 45.

The short arm 42 of each lever carries a yielding, duplex metallic brush 47 for engagement with the collectorrings 34 and 35 and each short arm includes a. sharpened stud 48 to receive the ends of an arcuate expansion leaf like spring 49. The major central portion of this spring is disposed beneath the central portion of the two armed plate 45 which holds it against displacement. In the normal inoperative position of the device as when the shaft 30 is at rest, the spring acts to swing the short load arms 42 outwardly in a clockwise direction, so that the short arms are thrown outwardly to bring the brushes 47 into contact with the collector rings and the long arms of the lever are thrown inwardly as best shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a line 50 indicating a. plane passing through the axes of the studs 4040 and it will be noticed that the spring engaged knife edges 48-48 are spaced a substantial distance upon each side of said line. In this position the lines of force of said spring are exerted upon said knife edges when they are in the greatest angular positions away from the line 50, so that the greatest efficiency of said spring is attained. However, when the shaft 30 and the rotor plate are rotating as when the startin g motor 15 is turning over the engine crank shaft, centrifugal force acting upon the long arms 41 will throw them outwardly and will swing the short arms inwardly, thus withdrawing the brushes 47 from the rings 34 and 35 and breaking the circuit through the same.

In the inward swing of the short arms, the

knife edges 48 almost approach but do not reach the plane indicated by the line 50, because of the engagement of the studs 43 with the outer ends of the slots 44in the two armed plate 45. Thus at the time that rotation of the rotor plate 36 is about to cease, the spring overcomes the centrifugal action of the long arms of the levers and acts to swing the short arms clockwise to bring the brushes into contact with the collector rings to again complete the circuit to the motor which becomes energized and operates to turn over the engine crank shaft again.

In the operation of the device, the operator of the automobile must first close the ignition circuit to the engine by closing the switch 26. Thus current passes through the conductor 15 to the coil 16 and then to the center contact 20 of the distributor. As the conductor 15 is connected to one side of the coil of the solenoid switch 14 and with the brushes 47 contacting the collector rings 34 and 35, the switch is energized to close the circuit through the conductor 12 to the starting motor. With the starting motor energized, its pinion 4 engages the gear toothed part 3 of the fly wheel 2 to turn over the engine crank shaft. This will drive the timer mechanism and distributor rotor which makes and breaks the circuits to the various spark plugs so that the engine turns over under its own power.

\Vhen the engine is turning over under its own power, say at a normal starting speed, as for example 250 R. P. M. the centrifugal action of the long arms 41 overcomes the action of the spring 49 and the short arms of the levers swing inwardly and withdraw the brushes 47 from the collector rings and breaks the circuit therebetween. hen the circuit is thus broken, the solenoid switch 14 becomes deenergized and acts to open and break the circuit to the starting motor 5 when the pinion 4 is withdrawn from the flywheel.

Should the engine tend to stall so that the speed thereof falls below idling speed, which by way of example is stated to be about 80 R. P. M. and is about to stop, the centrifugal force of the long arms 41 becomes insufiicient to overcome the action of the spring 49 which throws the short arms 42 outwardly. This acts to bring the brushes 47 into engagement with the collector rings and again completes or closes the circuit to the solenoid switch 14 which in turn closes the starting motor circuit which operates to turn over the engine as before stated.

It is apparent that the device automatically operates with a snap action at engine starting speed to break the starting motor circuit and automatically operates in a like manner to make or close said circuit at below engine idling speed at which time it is about ready to stop and is inoperative at intermediate engine speeds. From the above it is apparent that the device cannot operate at engine idling speed to close the circuit to the starter with the usual disastrous results and only operates to close said circuit when the engine is about to stop entirely.

The device is simple in construction and is well balanced so that it operates for its intended purpose in any position. It may be employed in a timer and distributor as an accessory or it may be incorporated as a part of the same in the manufacture thereof.

It is positive in operation and requires no adjustment after once in place and operates only at predetermined engine speeds and with snap switch like action.

While in describing my invention I have referred in detail tothe form, construction and arrangement of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered merely as illustrative of one phase of the invention so that Ido not wish to be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with the starting motor circuit of a vehicle engine, including an electromagnetic switch for opening and closing said circuit, a device for controlling the action of said switch and operating at a relatively low engine speed for energizing said switch to close said circuit and at a relatively higher engine speed for deenergizing said switch to open said circuit. I

2. In combination with the starting motor circuit and the ignition circuit of a vehicle engine, the latter including a timer and distributor with a driven shaft, an electromagnetic switch for opening and closing the starting motor circuit and a device driven by said shaft and operating at one enginespeed for energizing said switch to close the starting motor circuit and at a relatively higher engine speed for deenergizing said switch to open said starting motor circuit.

3. In combination with the starting motor circuit and the ignition circuit of a vehicle engine, the latter including a timer and distributor with a driven shaft, an electromagnetic switch for opening and closing the starting motor circuit and a device surrounding and driven by said shaft and operating at one engine speed for energizing said switch to close the starting motor circuit and at a relatively higher engine speed for deenergizing said switch to open said starting motor circuit.

4. In combination with the starting motor circu t and the ignition circuit of a. vehicle engine, the latter circuit including a timer and distributor with a driven shaft, an electromagnetic switch for opening and closing said starting motor circuit, and a device incorporated in said timer and distributor and driven by the shaft thereof and operatingat one engine speed for actuating said switch to close the starting motor circuit and at a relatively higher engine speed to actuate said i switch to open said starting motor circuit.

5. In combination with the starting motor circuit and the ignition circuit of a vehicle engine, the latter circuit including a timer and distributor with a driven shaft, an electromagnetic switch for opening and closing said starting motor circuit, and a device adapted to be interposed between the timer and distributor and driven by the shaft thereof and operating at one engine speed for actuating said switch to close the starting motor circuit and at a relatively higher engine speed to actuate said switch to open said starting motor circuit.

6. In combination with an engine, a starting motor therefor, a current conductor leading to said motor and including an electrically actuated switch, a current distributor including a driven shaft, and a device actuated from.said shaft and controlling the operation of said switch for closing said conductor at one engine speed and for opening said conductor at a second engine speed.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 1st day of May, 1929.

HERBERT H. TRAIL. 

